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The American Business Community has affirmed that Mr Peter Obi and his team have the wherewithal to move Nigeria into a 21-century country that is self-reliant and self-sufficient if given the opportunity.

This was confirmed by a Nigerian  U.S. based philanthropist, business analyst and the founder of Princewill and Shantel Odidi Community Foundation, Mr Princewill Odidi.

Echoing the heartbeat of participants during the interactive session at the US Chamber of Commerce organize for Peter Obi and his team, Odidi remarked that one of the greatest test to leadership is one’s ability to choose the right lieutenants.

“When Peter Obi was faced with questions at the US Chamber of Commerce meeting with Washington DC insiders, the world bank and IMF, he carried along Prof Pat Utomi.

“The way and manner Prof Utomi handled questions and addressed issues related to our forex, Capital Projects, what exactly is the problem with the economy at present, and how they planned to solve it, it is obvious, he is master of the game. I was proud of Nigeria.

Odidi said Nigeria and Nigerian would be better off if they elect competence over ethnicity. He said from what he saw and the reactions from investors, IMF and World Bank delegates, Peter Obi has the magic wand to turn things around for better if elected Nigeria President.

“The Washington boys found in Peter Obi and Pat Utomi a formidable  team capable of leading Nigeria into the 21 century.

“Sitting down here and watching the presentation and analysis, you will be proud to be a Nigerian.

“Later today as we leave Washington DC to Atlanta, there is a  town hall meeting slated for 6pm and a media chat with CNN Saturday morning. Proud to be Nigerian, happy I aligned with a team that has shown capacity.

A Plateau State High Court sitting in Jos on Friday discharged and acquitted a former Governor of the state, Jonah Jang, over the N6.3 billion corruption charges levelled against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission

The court presided over by Justice Christy Dabup also discharged and acquitted a former cashier in the office of the Secretary to the Plateau state government, Yusuf Pam, who was accused alongside the former governor.

Details Later….

The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike has threatened to destroy the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) chances in the upcoming 2023 presidential election.

Wike, who is having a running battle with Senator Iyioricha Ayu, National Chairman of the PDP, said this at the commissioning of a road in Omerelu community in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers, on Thursday.

The governor was responding to recent comments by Ayu that those asking him to step down were children.

In an interview with BBC Hausa, Ayu had said, “I have not violated any rules; in fact, I am working to bring reforms to the party. I am truly not bothered by the unnecessary controversy being generated. When we started PDP, these children were not around. They are children who do not know why we formed the party. We will not allow any individual to destabilise our party.”

But in his response, Wike described Ayu as a greedy man who was only after his interest.

Wike said it was obvious that Ayu wanted the PDP to lose in 2023 and he was willing to assist him achieve that.

“You can imagine what power can do. You can imagine the ingratitude; how people can be ingrates in their lives. I thought as a chairman of a party who wants to win elections, your business is to bring peace to your party; your business is not to divide your party. Your business is not to show arrogance to your party.

“Yes, the children brought you to be chairman of the party. The children brought you from the gutter to make you chairman. Doctor Ayu said we are children. Yes, the children brought you from the gutter to make you chairman. Now we have seen that you don’t want the party to win election, we will help you.

“Ayu, you said you founded this party, but you left the party in 2007. You founded a company, you left the company, people stood and brought out the company to what it is today, you have no moral right to still come and claim that you founded that company, you left with your shares. You want to show integrity, you want to show a party to Nigeria that we want to take over, you must convince Nigerians that we have the integrity. You are the driver that will drive the vehicle to convey us to go our destination. That is the victory we are looking for. If the driver has no integrity and cannot show honesty, how do you convince Nigerians? If you tell Nigerians something and cannot do it, is it when you enter into power that you will do it

Kenny Folarin, Abuja

What initially began as a child’s play has now become a scourge that has gone beyond the control of the Federal Capital Territory Administration.

The City is one of the most developed and most beautiful cities in Nigeria. Abuja is Nigeria’s seat of power and it is believed that in Abuja, life is good.

The City Houses the State House, National Assembly, Federal High Court, Embassies to mention but a few.

Also, the importance of the city lays credence to establishment major 7 star hotels, private establishments including tertiary institutions both public and private.

The City is bordered by the states of Niger to the west and northwest, Kaduna to the northeast, Nassarawa to the east and south, and Kogi to the southwest

For many, the city would have been adjudged to be the best not just in Nigeria but in Africa, according to the master plan of the administration, however the city just like many others also battles with cases of insecurity such as armed robbery, one – chancers, pick-pockets and worse of all, Scavengers popularly known as “Baban Bola”.

The influx of these scavengers would best be described as nightmare which suddenly turns reality in the city, they are usually seen in numbers carrying sack with rubbies from dustbins, construction sites and dump sites.

Initially, their activities are seen among villages in the city, but they have suddenly moved to choicest places in the city such as Asokoro, Maitama, Wuse, and Gwarinpa and they carry out their activities undisturbed.

In 2018, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) proscribed illegal refuse collection from residential and other areas, limiting the group to only the approved dump sites in both the city and the Area Councils.

Meanwhile, Residents of the city had share of illegal activities of the scavengers as they gradually turned into thieves breaking into people’s houses with dangerous equipment and worse still serving as informants to other dangerous criminal elements to perpetrate crime.

Worried by this unwholesome activities, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command, in 2022 ordered a massive clampdown on them following public outcry over the fast rising menace of vandalism and theft of private and public property, including critical national infrastructure by miscreants, who hide under the guise of metal waste scavengers.

While the FCTA intensifies efforts to clampdown on them, it seems the “Baban Bola” has come to stay, many of them live in shanties and would disappear in thin air after committing crimes as no one identifies them.

Even when few arrest were made, many of them are still at large and still roam about freely unhindered.

There is no gainsaying that with the activities of the “Baban Bola” and their large numbers in the city, it is clear that they have come to stay and the FCTA has lost total control on them, at least for now.

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Ahmed Halilu as the Managing Director of Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company, NSPMC Plc.

Halilu is said to be an elder brother to the First Lady, Aisha Buhari, and had headed the company in an acting capacity following the resignation of Abbas Masanawa on May 16.

Reports say that the president approved the appointment following the recommendation of the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, who serves as the NSPMC board chairman.

Halilu participated in the Senior Executive Course 39, 2017 of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies Kuru, Jos, culminating in the award of Member of the National Institute, mni.

He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture B. (Agric), Masters in Business Administration, and Masters in International Affairs and Diplomacy, all from Ahmadu Bello University Zaria.

It also noted that he has over 23 years of experience in the banking industry, having worked with African International Bank Limited, AIB, and Zenith Bank Plc, and is a member of the Nigerian Institute of Management, NIM